WELDEXCELL

Madden el al (8) developed a prototype system for welding operations called WELDEXCELL. The system consists of two subsystems namely, the Welding Job Planner (WJP) and the Welding Job Controller (WJC). WJP helps the welding engineer to design and setup a weld path along with a weld schedule. WJC performs the actual execution of the weld. The system WJP uses a blackboard architecture which provides the interaction between several expert systems, databases and users. Problem solving is accomplished by dividing the problem into loosely coupled subtasks which are then operated on by specialised knowledge sources.

The main problem that the controller must solve relates to selecting the joint design, determining the weld process, selecting the filler metal, writing a procedure using the welding symbol, and other joint details in CAD and downloading the control information to the robot. The WJP is designed to be driven by the user instead of solely by the software. The WELDEXCELL also induces a CAD system which is completely welding specific to facilitate the interaction between the user and the blackboard. It also includes a robot simulator system and a path planner. The robot simulator system allows the user to simulate robot movements relative to the workcell and the parts to be welded.

The path planner automatically plans the robot movements, and includes a full kinematic model of the robot system as well as the interpreter. The robot path plan and welding procedure are combined into a full weld schedule by the EXPERT SYSTEM WELD-SCHED. WELDEXCELL includes an Artificial Neural System (ANS) based weld modeling package that allows the welding engineer to explore various combinations of welding parameter values before generating a welding schedule.